The isolation and characterization of cell membranes and their components is essential for an understanding of the role in which surface membranes play in regulating a wide variety of biological and immunological activities. The present techniques used for this purpose are not quite satisfactory.
Knowledge of the nature, number and distribution of specific receptors on cell surfaces is of central importance for an understanding of the molecular basis underlying such biological phenomena as cell-cell recognition in development, cell communication and regulation by hormones and chemical transmitters, and difference in normal and tumor cell surfaces. In previous studies, the localization of antigens and carbohydrate residues on the surface of cells, notably red blood cells and lymphocytes, has been determined by bonding antibodies or lectins to such molecules as ferritin, hemocyanin or peroxidase which have served as markers for transmission electron microscopy. With advances in high resolution scanning electron microscopy (SEM), however, the topographical distribution of molecular receptors on the surfaces of cell and tissue specimens can be readily determined by similar histochemical techniques using newly developed markers resolvable by SEM.
Recently, commercially available polystyrene latex particles have been utilized as immunologic markers for use in the SEM technique. The surface of such polystyrene particles is hydrophobic and hence certain types of macromolecules such as antibodies are absorbed on the surface under carefully controlled conditions. However, such particles stick non-specifically to many surfaces and molecules and this seriously limits their broad application.
The preparation of small, stable spherical Poly-Hema particles which are biocompatible, i.e., do not interact non-specifically with cells or other biological components and which contain functional groups to which specific proteins and other biochemical molecules can be covalently bonded is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,957,741.
Smaller, more evenly shaped acrylic microspheres are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,138,383. Microspheres having a density differing from that of cell membranes are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,035,316 and fluorescentacrylic copolymer microspheres are disclosed in Ser. No. 718,104 filed Aug. 27, 1976.
The hydroxyl groups can be activated by cyanogen bromide for covalent bonding of proteins and other chemicals containing amino groups to the polymeric bead. Methacrylic acid residues which impart a negative charge onto the particles are likely to prevent non-specific binding to cell surfaces and to provide carboxyl groups to which a variety of biochemical molecules can be covalently bonded using the carbodiimide method.
The derivatization procedure is unnecessarily complex and requires an additional step to prepare the bead surface for covalently binding to proteins such as antibodies, lectins and the like or other molecules such as DNA, hormones and the like. Therefore, the method of derivatization of acrylic microbeads is tedious and availability is limited. Monomeric glutaraldehyde has been used as a biochemical reagent to covalently bond proteins such as immunoglobulins to ferritin polymeric microspheres and other small particles which were then utilized to map receptors on cell membranes. However, the reaction mechanism of proteins with glutaraldehyde is difficult to ascertain since its structure is still not clear and it has been reported to be in equilibrium with cyclic and hydrated forms. The reaction is difficult to carry out and frequently gives unsatisfactory results.
Direct protein bonding polyglutaraldehyde or copolymers therefore disclosed in copending application Ser. Nos. 21,988 and 21,989, both filed Mar. 19, 1979 prepared by solution polymerization in aqueous basic medium. In contrast to monomeric glutaraldehyde, the polymers contain conjugated aldehyde groups. This imparts stability to the Schiff's bases formed after reaction with proteins and, further, since the hydrophilic polyglutaraldehyde has relatively long chains extending from the surface into the surrounding aqueous medium, the heterogenous reaction with protein is facilitated.
Polyglutaraldehyde (PGL) microspheres can be directly prepared by suspension polymerization with stirring in presence of surfactant or by precipitation from solution containing surfactant. Magnetic, high density or electron dense microspheres can be prepared by coating metal particles or by suspension polymerization of glutaraldehyde in presence of a suspension of finely divided metal or metal oxide. It has been determined that the PGL microspheres exhibit some degree of non-specific binding to cells. Moreover, though some cross-linking occurs during the homopolymerization of glutaraldehyde, the polymer can be dissolved in highly polar solvents.
A process for polymerizing unsaturated aldehydes such as acrolein is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,105,801. The process comprises adding a small amount of acid or an acid-acting material to an aqueous solution containing acrolein or other unsaturated aldehyde and exposing the acidic medium to high energy ionizing radiation to form high molecular weight polymer in the form of light powders having non-uniform shapes and sizes. The polymers were not utilized as such but are dissolved in aqueous alkaline sulfur dioxide solution to form water soluble derivatives which are used as coatings or sizings for paper, cloth, fibers and the like. Bell et al also discusses the copolymerization of acrolein with a wide variety of ethylenically unsaturated monomers such as ethylene diamine, pyridine or acrylic acids or esters, vinyl halides, etc. in amounts from 0.1 to 60%, preferably from 1% to 25% by weight of the monomer mixture.
The monomer mixture can contain other agents such as stabilizing, suspending as emulsifying agents. Radiation accelerators such as halides or metal salts may be added to the reaction mixture.
Though the polyacroleins prepared by Bell et al have a high degree of available aldehyde function, there was no recognition of the use of such material as a biological reagent. Furthermore, the presence of extraneous ingredients interferes with the purity of the polymer and it would not be suitable as a biochemical protein bonding agent. Furthermore, specific modification of the material by copolymerization with certain comonomers designed to impart further properties such as non-specific binding and modification to add other functional groups for introduction of dyes, proteins or other materials would improve the flexibility of use of the material.